Wilson's Ashley Williams hoping for another painfully good race

Sophomore hurdler fighting a groin injury

Ashley Williams' injured left groin kept her from competing in the Colonial League meet a couple of weeks ago.

It nearly stopped the Wilson sophomore from finishing the 100-meter hurdles race at last week's District 11 Class 2A competition.

But Williams overcame the pain and left the other runners in the dust.

Williams' painfully good performance has her seeded seventh for the PIAA Championships, which are Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium.

Williams is among 58 girls and 57 boys (relay teams count as one) from the region competing for a medal in their final high school competition of the season.

Williams will need one more weekend of Warrior-like grit to get a state medal.

"During [District 11] trials, I really, really pulled it," she recalled. "It felt like it was ripping. I just tried to keep my eyes on the [final], get to the first hurdle fast and get the race over with."

Williams got out to a quick lead and was never threatened, except by her ability to endure the throbbing pain that accompanied each step.

"In the middle of the race, I had to keep my balance," she added. "It was a tough race for me, but I pulled it together."

Her time of 15.47 is a personal best.

TOUGH DECISION, PART I

It was dark. Almost all of the athletes had either left or were heading for the exit. But there sat Liberty's Amy Darlington on a bench outside the officials' tent after last week's two-day District 11 meet.

The Hurricanes senior was torn about which race — the 1,600 or 3,200 — to run at states. She won both at districts for a second consecutive year, but knew she couldn't do both at states.

The University of Pennsylvania recruit didn't think she made the right decision last year, despite finishing fourth in the state in the 3A 3,200.

Darlington opted for the 1,600 after posting a winning time of 5:02.77, which has her seeded 14th.

She'll likely compete in the steeplechase in place of any distance race at Penn.

As it turned out, no matter which race Darlington entered at states, she is going to have to deal with Pennridge's Tori Gerlach, who won the same two races at last weekend's District One meet and is running both at states.

Gerlach is the defending 3A 2-mile champion and is seeded first this year at 10:24.19. She won it in 10:36.0 last season in dramatic fashion, holding off Pennsbury's Sara Sargent.

Gerlach, who did not run the 1,600 at states last year, is seeded second this year with a time of 4:53.18.

TOUGH DECISION, PART II

Emmaus' Hanna Brosky was an all-conference soccer player as a freshman, but decided to give it up to focus solely on running. She ran cross country and then gave track a try this spring.

Things have worked out just fine for the sophomore.

"[Soccer] was a big deal my entire life, but so was running," she said. "I started with winter track, made it to states and ended up loving it.

"At [the Allen Invitational], I ran against most of the people I would face at districts. It was an eye-opener when I got first place. I knew then that states wasn't that far away."

Brosky is seeded 10th in the 3A 800 at states after winning the district title in 2:15.78.

PACK UP THE BUS

Stroudsburg's boys have more participants than any other District 11 team with 10 state qualifiers. Langston Northern (100, 200, 400 relay) will be the busiest. Quay Rogers (long and triple jumps) and Donovan McDonald (200, 400) are in two events, though McDonald could add a third if he teams with Northern, Keyautay Aulder and Altarique Moseley-Dew in the 400 relay. He ran in place of JaVaughn Patterson at districts. Other Mounties making the trek — Ben Kloepping (110 hurdles), David Clowney (triple jump), Jon Passmore (shot put) and Kenji Okamoto (pole vault).

Moravian Academy's Rebecca Askins-Gast, a three-time District 11 2A champ in the 800, likely will study comparative literature and a language — either French or Chinese — starting in the fall at the University of Chicago. She spent last summer in France as part of a community service/study program.

QUOTE

Allen pole vaulter Julia Molloy on last year's first state appearance: "It was insane. It was the biggest meet I'd ever been to. Gymnastics, swimming, track.

"I got to go to Penn Relays this year, so Shipp [doesn't compare] to Penn Relays."